MILITARY CONTRACTS October 6, 2008

Army

Caddell Construction Co.,Inc, Montgomery, Ala., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $99,763,000 firm fixed price contract for design and construction of the 108 th Air Defense artillery complex. Work will be performed in Fort Bragg, N.C., with estimated and completion date of Oct 31, 2010. Four proposals bid were solicited and three proposal bids were received. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-07-D-0051).

Walsh Construction, Chicago, Ill., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $69,758,553 firm fixed price contract for replace family housing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. Work will be performed in Whiteman Air Force base, Mo., with an estimated completion date of Dec 1, 2011. Bids were solicited via the Web and three bids were received. Corps Engineer Kansas City, Mo., is the contracting activity (W912DQ-08-C-0015).

CH2M Hill Facilities & Infrastructure Inc, Fort Bragg, N.C., was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $53,214,000 firm fixed price contract for construction of an ammunition supply point. Work will be performed in with estimated and completion date of Apr. 30, 2015. The U.S. Engineer, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-07-D-0060).

Spaw Glass Construction Corporation, Houston, Texas, was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $48, 390, 108 firm fixed price construction contract for Armed Forces Reserve Center Houston phase two and BRAC Armed Forces Reserve Center East Houston,, Ellington Field, Houston, Texas. Work will be performed in Ellington Field Houston, Texas, with estimated and completion date of Oct. 31, 2010. Bids solicited were posted on web and three bids were received. Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity (W912QR-08-C-0052).

Walton Construction Co., Dallas Texas, was awarded Sept. 30, 2008, a $42,553,510 firm fixed price contract. This construction contract is for the design and construction of a consolidated family care and troop medical clinic facility at fort Bliss, in El Paso, Texas. Work will be performed in Fort Bliss El Paso, Texas, with estimated and completion date of May 31, 2010. One hundred and seventy-five bids were solicited and five bids were received. U.S. Army Engineers District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-C-0075).

Baco-Epik-Metis Joint Venture, Los Angeles, Calif., was awarded on Sept. 30, 2008, a $41,664,278 firm fixed price contract for construction of the Fiscal Year 2008 SOF Aircraft Operations Program at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Work will be performed in Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 1, 2010. Thirty bids were solicited and six bids were received. US Army Corps of Engineer, Winchester, Va., is the contracting activity (W912ER-08-C-0048).

ACC Construction Co., Inc, Augusta, Ga., was awarded on Oct. 2, 2008, a $37,333,133 firm fixed fee price contract for design and construction of tactical equipment maintenance facilities and 108th Air Defense artillery complex site infrastructure at Fort Bragg. Work will be performed in Fort Bragg., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 30, 2010. Four bids were solicited and three bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-07-D-0042).

DRS Sustainment Systems Inc, St Louis, Mo., was awarded on Sept. 26, 2008, a $29,313,108 firm fixed fee price contract for Armored Knight Vehicles, spare parts and special tools. Work will be performed in St Louis, Mo., with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2010. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-C-0523).

Ross Group Construction Corp., Tulsa, Okla., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $22,083,241 firm fixed price contract for all work required to construct a Combined Arms collective training facility. Work will be performed in Fort Bliss El Paso, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2010. Two bids were solicited and two bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer, Fort Worth., Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-D-0008).

Garco Construction, Spokane, Wash., was awarded on Sept. 30, 2008, a $19,236,000 firm fixed price contract for design build for a vehicle maintenance shop located in at Yakima, Washington. Work will be performed in Yakima, Wash., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 10, 2010. Bids were solicited via posted on the Web and two bids were received. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, is the contracting activity (W912QR-08-C-0058).

Mapco Inc, San Antonio, Texas was awarded on Sept. 30, 2008, a $18,298,732 firm fixed price contract for building renovation and repairs at north Fort Polk, La., in support of foreign security forces transition team mission. Work will be performed in Fort Polk Army Base, La., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2013. Bids were solicited via the Web and one bid was received. US Army Engineer, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-D-0045).

Viking Versar, Silver Spring, Md., was awarded on Sept. 30, 2008, a $9,449,530 firm fixed price contract for unit operations to include the temporary equipment maintenance facility, Fort Lee, Va. Work will be performed in Fort Lee, Va., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 30, 2009. Eighty bids were solicited and four bids were received. Corps of Engineer, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-08-C-0076).

HHI Corp., Farmington, Utah, was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $8,232,865 firm fixed fee contract for construction of a munitions maintenance facility at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Work will be performed in Hill Air Force Base, Toole & Weber County, Utah, with an estimated completion date of Mar. 29, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web and four bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer, Sacramento, Calif., is the contracting activity (W91238-08-C-0024).

NAVY

General Electric Aviation, Lynn, Mass., is being awarded a $33,201,530 priced delivery order # GB64 under an existing basic ordering agreement contract (FA8104-05-G-0003) for repair of components in the T64 engine, used on the H-53 aircraft. Work will be performed at Lynn, Mass., (86 percent); and Cherry Point, N.C., (14 percent). Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009. The contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting activity.

UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND

CAV International Inc., of Colorado Springs, Co., 80920-4162, is being awarded a $15,509,395 fixed price modification. This contract modification will exercise option year three to provide continuing air terminal and ground handling services on behalf of the Air Mobility Command in support of the Department of Defense Airlift System at Kuwait International Airport Abdullah Al Mubarak Airbase, Kuwait and will be completed Sept. 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contracting activity is United States Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott AFB, Ill., 62225. (FA4428-06-C-0005).

MILITARY CONTACTS October 2, 2008

Army

Walton Construction Co., LLC, Harahan, La., was awarded on Sept. 30, 2008, a $184,883,550 firm fixed price contract for project includes complete study, design, abatement, and construction of 16 barracks and central energy plants. Work will be performed in Fort Polk, La., with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2012. Bids solicited were via the Web and two bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-C-0070).

VETCO Contracting Services, LLC, of Watertown, N.Y., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $114,000,000 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, multiple award task order firm fixed price contract to construct single-soldier housing on Fort Lee, Va. Work will be performed on Fort Lee and will be completed by Sept. 28, 2013. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-D-0058).

Alliant Lake City Small Caliber Ammunition Co., LLC, Independence, Mo., was awarded a modification 34 on Sept. 29, 2008, a $70,446,012 firm fixed price contract for execution of economics price adjustment for Cooper & Total Plant volume discount. Work will be performed in Independence, Mo., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (DAAA-09-99-D0016).

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Burlington, Vt., was awarded on Sept. 26, 2008, a $56,654,822 firm fixed fee price contract procurement of MK19 Grenade Machine Guns. Work will be performed in Saco, Maine, with an estimated completion date of Feb 20, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. Army Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management, Picatinny, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-08-D-0459).

Alliant Techsystems Inc, Mesa, Ariz., was awarded on Sept. 26, 2008, a $53,480,866 multiple awards, indefinite delivery order firm fixed fee price contract for procurement of MK19 Grenade Machine Guns. Work will be performed in Washington, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachussetts, and Rhode Island, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 28, 2013. One bid was solicited and three bids were received. U.S. Army Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management, Picatinny, N.J., is the contracting activity (W915QKN-08-D-0460).

AAI Corp., Hunt Valley, Md., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $32,711,502 firm fixed price contract. modification to acquire two government -owned contractor-operated teams and additional air vehicle operators and maintainers as needed. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Md., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. Army Aviation and missile Command, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0016).

Blueridge General, Norfolk, Va., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, a $25,116,678 firm fixed price contract. The project includes construction of 4 story structures totaling 115,363 NSF containing 203 non-handicap units and seven handicap units. Work will be performed in Hampton, Va., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2010. One hundred bids were solicited and four bids were received. Corp of Engineer, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-08-C-0083).

Caddell Corp., Co., LLC, Montgomery, Ala., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2008, $18,719,743 firm fixed price contract. The project includes the design and construction of Fires Brigade combined brigade/battalion headquarters facilities, Fort Bliss, Texas.
Work will be performed in Fort Bliss, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2010. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. Army Engineer, Sacramento, Calif., is the contracting activity (W91238-06-D-0032).

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on Sept. 11, 2009, a $ 18,700,000 fixed price incentive firm target contract, for 27 months of technology development for the Joint Air Ground Missile Program. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and Tucson, Ariz., with an estimated completion date Dec. 31, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web and two bids were received. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-08-C-A789).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Fla., was awarded on Sept 11, 2008, a $18,700,000 fixed price incentive firm target contract for 27 months of technology development for the Joint Air Ground Missile Program. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla., Ocala, Fla., and Troy, Ala., with an estimated completion date Dec. 31, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web and two bids were received. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-08-C-A123).
Solis Constructors Inc, Austin, Texas, was awarded on Sept.27, 2009, a $15,900,000 construction firm fixed price contract. The project will include design and construction of an aircraft maintenance hangar. Work will be performed in Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas, with an estimated completion date Mar. 25, 2010. One hundred bids were solicited and five bids were received. US Army Engineer, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-08-C-0067).

Emerson Construction Co., Temple, Texas was awarded on Sept. 29, 2009, a $15,252,000 firm fixed price contract for construction of an Army Reserve Center, Forth Worth, Texas. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, with an estimated completion date Mar. 31, 2010. Eighty-four bids were solicited and five bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity (W912QR-08-C-0053).

K.L. House Construction Co., Albuquerque, N.M., was awarded on Sept. 29, 2009, a $14,582,000 firm fixed price contract. Work on this project consists of the design and construction of the PJ/CRO Rescue and Recovery Training Center (RRTC) and PJ/CRO Logistics Building at Kirtland Air Force base in Albuquerque, N.M. Work will be performed in Kirtland, N.M., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 31, 2010. Ten bids were solicited and two bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer, Sacramento, Calif., is the contracting activity (W91238-06-D-0032).

ECC International, LLC, of Burlingame, Calif., was awarded on Sept. 27, 2008, a $10,771,717 firm fixed price contract for the design and construction of phase one replacement housing and related support facilities at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Work will be performed at Bagram Airfield and will be completed by Dec. 31, 2009. Five bids were solicited and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Afghanistan, is the contracting activity (W917PM-07-D-0015).

Walbridge Aldinger, Detroit, Mich., was awarded a modification 0006 on Sept. 27, 2009, a $14,216,000 firm fixed price contract for a task order will consist of design and construction of the Unit Operations Facilities. Work will be performed in White Sands Missile Range, N.M., with an estimated completion date of Mar. 30, 2010. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. Army Engineer, Tulsa, Okla., is the contracting activity (W912BV-07-D-2051).

Walbridge Aldinger, Detroit, Mich., was awarded a modification 0003 on Sept. 29, 2009, a $11,415,000 firm fixed price contract for a task order will consist of design and construction of the Fires Brigade, Phase I, Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facilities. Work will be performed in Fort Bliss, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 1, 2010. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. Army Engineer, Tulsa, Okla., is the contracting activity (W912BV-07-D-2051).

Weeks Marine, Inc., of Covington, La., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $9,799,450 firm fixed price contract to dredge about 1.2 million cubic yards of maintenance material using a deep-draft pipeline. The work will be performed in Harris County, Texas, and is to be completed by Feb. 28, 2009. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and one bid was received. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-08-C-0033).

Bering Pacific Construction of Anchorage, Ala., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $9,583,520 firm fixed price contract for erosion-control projects near Shishmaref, Ala., including a 175-meter breakwater. The work will be performed near Shishmaref, Ala., and will be completed by Feb. 28, 2010. Two bids were received. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Ala., is the contracting activity (W911KB-08-C-0028).

P&S Construction, Inc., of Lowell, Mass., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $9,337,000 firm fixed price contract for construction of the Picatinny Armament Integration Facility at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J. The work will be performed on Picatinny Arsenal and will be completed by Mar. 31, 2010. Forty-six bids were solicited and eight bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York, N.Y., is the contracting activity (W912DS-08-C-0028).

Three contractors received a $9,056,456 firm fixed price contract Sept. 29, 2008, to construct a new dining facility on Fort Benning, Ga. The contractors are: Paul S. Akins Co., Inc., of Statesboro, Ga.; I.L. Fleming, Inc., of Midway, Ga.; and G.S.C. Construction of Augusta, Ga. The work is to be completed by Sept. 29, 2012. Six bids were received for this project solicited under FedBizOps. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, is the contracting activity (W91236-08-D-0064).

Lockheed Martin Corp. of Grand Prairie, Texas, received a $9,005,000 firm fixed price contract Sept. 26, 2008, for add-on items to the Patriot Pure Fleet. The work will be performed in Grand Prairie and will be completed by Feb. 28, 2010. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (DAAH01-03-C-0164).

Nationview/Bhate JV, III, LLC, of Birmingham, Ala., was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $7,602,692 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity firm fixed price contract to design and build a child development center at Fort Bragg, N.C. Work will be performed on Fort Bragg and will be completed Jun. 23, 2010. The U.S. Army Engineer & Support Center at Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity (W912DY-08-D-0025).

CAPE Environmental Management, Inc., of Atlanta was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $6,845,326 firm fixed price contract to contaminated soil removal and groundwater investigation at the U.S. Army Reserve Center at Caven Point in Jersey City, N.J. Work will be performed at the Reserve Center. Bids were solicited via the worldwide web and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, is the contracting activity (W912QR-04-D-0037).

Kellogg, Brown & Root Services, Inc., of Houston was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $6,776,020 firm fixed price and cost reimbursement contract for contractor program management services supporting U.S. Army Europe's support contract. The work will be performed through July 31, 2011, in Heidelberg, Germany; Kosovo; Romania; Bulgaria; and Houston. Sixty-six bids were solicited and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Transatlantic Programs Center at Winchester, Va., is the contracting activity (W912ER-05-D-0003).

Kellogg, Brown & Root Services, Inc., of Houston was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $6,776,020 firm fixed price and cost reimbursement contract for contractor program management services supporting U.S. Army Europe's support contract. The work will be performed through July 31, 2011, in Heidelberg, Germany; Kosovo; Romania; Bulgaria; and Houston. Sixty-six bids were solicited and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Transatlantic Programs Center at Winchester, Va., is the contracting activity (W912ER-05-D-0003).

Kellogg, Brown & Root Services, Inc., of Houston was awarded Sept. 29, 2008, a $6,776,020 firm fixed price and cost reimbursement contract for contractor program management services supporting U.S. Army Europe's support contract. The work will be performed through July 31, 2011, in Heidelberg, Germany; Kosovo; Romania; Bulgaria; and Houston. Sixty-six bids were solicited and three bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Transatlantic Programs Center at Winchester, Va., is the contracting activity (W912ER-05-D-0003).

Correction: Applied Energetics, Inc., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded on June 4, 2008, a $9,280,801 cost plus fixed fee contract for the continued development and production of ten counter-IED (improved explosive device) systems plus spares, operator training and technical support for an overseas operational assessment. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 3, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Apr. 3, 2008. U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-08-C-0080).

Navy

Gryphon Technologies, LC, Greenbelt, Md., was awarded a $17,154,595 cost plus fixed fee contract on Sept. 30, 2008, for the procurement of Expeditionary Warfare Program and Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) maintenance, modification, repair, and trial support engineering support services. The contractor will provide all personnel, materials, equipment, services for the engineering, & technical support required to provide logistics and material support for the LCAC Program. Work will be performed in Panama City, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Oct. 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $300,000 expired at the end of fiscal year 2008. This contract was competitively procured and advertised via Navy Electronic Commerce On-line and Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting activity (N61331-08-D-0021).

Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $12,309,998 cost plus fixed fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-07-G-0008). This effort is an undefinitized contract action for non-recurring engineering to demonstrate, integrate, and qualify the Interim Defense Weapon System mission kit on the MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft and including associated logistics support. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pa. (99 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in Jul. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Rome Research Corporation, Rome, N.Y., was awarded a $6,660,939 modification under a previously awarded firm fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract (N64590-07-D-0558) to exercise option two for satellite operations, administrative, and logistics support services at the Naval Satellite Operations Center. The total cumulative contract amount after exercise of this option will be $15,217,606. Work will be performed at Point Mugu, Calif., (85 percent), Prospect Harbor, Maine, (5 percent), Finegayan, Guam (5 percent), and Colorado, Springs, Colo., (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of Fiscal Year 2008. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Port Hueneme, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Correction: Contract amount awarded Sept. 30, 2008, to Chenega Security and Protection Services, LLC*, Ashburn, Va., should have been $9,580,477 and should have stated that with all options exercised, the value of the contract will be $68,536,173.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Hess Corp., Woodbridge, N.J., is being awarded a maximum $94,282,706 firm fixed price contract for electrical services. Other location of performance is Maryland. Using services are the federal civilian agencies, National Institutes of Health and Marlyand Procurement Office. There were originally 100 proposals solicited with 14 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Dec. 31, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (Sp0600-08-D-8033).

Allegheny Energy Supply Co., LLC, Greensburg, Pa., is being awarded a maximum $26,036,923 firm fixed price contract for electrical services. Other location of performance is Maryland. Using services are Army and federal civilian agencies. There were originally 100 proposals solicited with 14 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Dec. 31, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (Sp0600-09-D-8000).

Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc., Herndon, Va., is being awarded a maximum $14,547,988 firm fixed price contract for electrical services. Other location of performance is Md. Using services are Army and federal civilian agencies. There were originally 100 proposals solicited with 14 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Dec. 31, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (Sp0600-09-D-8000).

New GI Bill Provides Increased Educational Benefits

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

July 28, 2008 - The latest GI Bill considerably improves the opportunity for today's servicemembers to obtain their education, a senior Defense Department official said. President Bush signed the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008 on June 30. The new law mirrors the tenets of the original GI Bill, which gave returning World War Two veterans the opportunity to go to any school they wanted while receiving a living stipend, Bob Clark, the Pentagon's assistant director of accessions policy, said.

"The original GI Bill was said to be one of the most significant social impacts of the 20th century," Clark said. "We believe the new bill is going to have a similar impact."

The ew GI Bill is applies to individuals who served on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, and offers education benefits worth an average of $80,000 – double the value of those in the previous program. It covers the full costs of tuition and books, which are paid directly to the school, and it provides a variable stipend for living expenses. It's also transferable to family members of career servicemembers.

Its only restriction is that payment amounts are limited to the most expensive in-state cost to attend a college or university in the state where veterans attend school, he said.

The variable stipend is based on the Defense Department's basic allowance for housing for an E-5, which averages about $1,200 a month, and $1,000 a year will be paid directly to the servicemember for books and supplies, he added.

Enrollment into the Post-9/11 GI Bill is free. Eligibility for the Montgomery GI Bill is based on service commitment and requires active-duty servicemembers to pay a $1,200 fee over the initial year of their enlistment.

The new bill requires that an individual serve at least 90 days on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, and if discharged, be separated on honorable terms. Servicemembers discharged due to a service-connected disability are eligible if they served 30 continuous days on active duty. Servicemembers must serve 36 aggregated months to qualify for the full amount of benefits.

Servicemembers are entitled to benefits of the new bill for up to 36 months and have up to 15 years from their last 30 days of continuous service to use their entitlements. But as successful as Defense Department officials anticipate the new bill to be, Clark suggested that new recruits still enroll in the Montgomery GI Bill.

The Montgomery GI Bill gives benefits for higher education as well as vocational training, apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training, he explained. The Post-9/11 GI Bill focuses solely on higher education and can only be used at institutions that offer at least an associate's degree, he said.

"We recommend that all new recruits think hard before turning down the Montgomery GI Bill, because they will limit their opportunities for additional education without it," he added.

Servicemembers also are "highly encouraged" to use the Defense Department's tuition assistance program while on active duty, because the Post-9/11 GI Bill's full entitlements, such as the living stipend and book allowance, will not be available, Clark said.

"If you use the Post-9/11 GI Bill while on active duty, it will merely cover tuition or the difference of what tuition assistance will pay," he explained. "Another downside to that is each month you use [the new bill], you lose a month of your 36 months of eligibility."

So, if servicemembers serve on active duty on or after Aug. 1, 2009, and meet the minimum time-in-service requirement, they will be eligible for the new GI Bill while also maintaining benefits from the Montgomery GI Bill, he said.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill also brings good news for officers and for servicemembers who enlisted under the loan repayment program. Since eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill is based on time already served, more servicemembers will be able to take advantage of its benefits, Clark added. Officers commissioned through one of the service academies or through ROTC and enlisted servicemembers participating in the loan repayment program don't qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill, he said.

Those servicemembers will be able to qualify if they finish their initial obligatory service. Commissioned officers must complete their initial five-year commitment if they attended a service academy or their four-year agreement if they were commissioned through college ROTC. Servicemembers whose college loans were paid off by the Defense Department as a re-enlistment incentive must finish their initial commitment – whether it is three, four or five years – before they can apply, Clark said.

"Any amount of time an individual served after their obligated service counts for qualifying service under the new GI Bill," he said.

Another facet unique to the Post-9/11 GI Bill is that it's transferable to family members. The feature gives the defense and service secretaries the authority to offer career servicemembers the opportunity to transfer unused benefits to their family. Though Defense Department officials still are working with the services to hash out eligibility requirements, there are four prerequisites that are subject to adjustment or change, Clark said.

Currently transferability requirements are:

-- Qualifying service to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill;

-- Active duty service in the armed forces on or after Aug. 1, 2009;

-- At least six years of service in the armed forces;

-- Agreement to serve four more years in the armed forces.

"We're really excited about transferability," Clark said. "That was one of the things about education and the GI Bill that's come up the most often from the field and fleet."

Individuals who may not qualify to transfer unused benefits because they leave the service before the new bill's effective date most likely still will qualify for the bill. As long as the separated servicemembers meet the minimum qualifying time served, they can contact their local Veterans Affairs office and apply for the program. While payments are not retroactive, eligibility is, Clark said.

"This new bill will allow our veterans to chase their dreams," Clark said. "It will allow them to go back and experience college like they deserve, much like their grandfathers did in World War Two."

More information about the Post-9/11 GI Bill is available at local Veterans Affairs Office and at www.gibill.va.gov.